


Reuptake

by GuyOfShy



Series: Chronicles and Comedies of the Goddesses of Planepstation [1]
Category: Hyperdimension Neptunia
Genre: Check the active ingredients, F/F, First Kiss, Pudding is involved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-07 11:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6802726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuyOfShy/pseuds/GuyOfShy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Noire is a busy person. As Lastation’s CPU, she doesn't have much time to devote to personal pursuits, or to chasing romantic relationships for that matter. So when she noticed that she had been doling out attention to another much lazier CPU, Noire had panicked. And when it came to making her move on Neptune, Noire couldn't remember ever being this flustered.</p><p>But Noire wasn't like Neptune. Noire made plans. A plan to steal the first kiss, because she would never hear the end of it if Neptune stole it for herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reuptake

“Alright Neptune, here. Now quit complaining to me about how I never treat you to pudding.”

Neptune gasped as the cup was handed to her, turning gleeful eyes from the gloriously gelatinous substance back to Noire.

“Wowsers! I had no idea that you _could_ make pudding Noire! I was just joshing ya before, I didn’t actually expect you to cook something up for me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Did you think I was only good at filling out paperwork? I’m a person as well as a CPU, you know.”

“Oh, of course I knew that silly! Well, I never get to see the inner Noire since you’re such a loner, so I just figured being a CPU was all you ever did. Guess I assumed wrong,” Neptune indifferently responded. “You don’t seem like the pudding-type of person though. Where did you learn how, anyway?”

Noire stamped a foot on the ground, crossing her arms with that dignified glare of hers. The ‘loner stare,’ Neptune had dubbed it, since the Lastation resident always flashed it when Neptune accused her of being one. Noire had grown so sick of this ‘loner’ joke of Neptune’s, especially since she managed to mention it in almost every conversation they had. She couldn’t understand just how much she was playing with Noire’s heart when she called her that. Calling her just to remind her of what could be between them... but wasn’t.

 _’It’s not like I_ want _to be a loner! I want to be with Neptune, so badly... and I will be after today. Right Noire? Right. If I don’t faint I’ll be fine. Just act normal for now; don’t freak out.... Still! She called me a loner when we’re clearly hanging out! The nerve of her...’_

“For the last time, I’m NOT a loner! I have lots of friends just like you! I have Uni, and Kei, and... and... s-shut up! I have more than that, but they’re always busy so I can never hang out with them. And I had asked your friend Compa to teach me, to answer your question, but not just for you! I have a sister to take care of too, y’know.”

Noire was expecting her to return another sassy remark, but the girl was just happily smiling at her from her couch like she totally read her bluff. Noire sighed. Somehow Neptune had managed not only to convince her to hang out today but had also somehow dragged her up to her own room in Planeptune too! Noire busied herself with trying to remember exactly when she was swept off the streets and sat on a couch but was disturbed by Neptune’s voice reaching her.

She raised her hand and cheerfully said, “I’m your friend too Noire, don’t forget me!”

Another sigh fell from Noire’s lips. She never wanted to admit that when Neptune was around. It was just... embarrassing when she was around, what with the loner girl joke and the other feelings Neptune was imposing on her, those that made Noire see the other CPU as more than just a friend...

“Yeah... you are my friend Neptune. My best friend, actually.” Noire paused to let those words really reach Neptune, praying they would get through that thick skull of hers. Soon enough though she caught herself staring at her feet, smiling, twiddling her thumbs, probably blushing, and totally blowing her cover, Neptune showing off an even bigger smile.

Noire suddenly stiffened her stance and her glare, snapping at Neptune. “B-But don't tell anyone I said that! Or you won’t ever taste my pudding again, I can assure you!”

“Wow, really? I can't believe that I, Neptune, hold the most highly honored and illustrious title of being Noire’s best friend!” She respectfully bowed her head, earning a scowl from the tsundere. “Look at what you’ve done Noire, now I’m all flattered and stuff. Normally that’s how you react to me, huh?”

“Oh quit it already Neptune! Yes, you are my best friend,” she admitted a little unsteadily, “but just try the pudding already before I come over there and feed you it instead.”

“I don’t mind! Come take a seat next to ol’ Nep-Nep Noire!”

A huge grin erupted on Neptune’s face, sparkling eyes again staring Noire down into a surrender.

Noire scoffed as she started stepping over, wondering why she was listening to her in the first place.

She made sure to sit a minimum of a foot away from Neptune. Any closer would dramatically increase the risk of her performing something, well, dramatic, which would undoubtedly fluster Noire as well as flush her cheeks a burning, all-consuming red that would assuredly reveal her feelings. She’d rather not expose herself in Neptune’s company like that.

And as Noire thought that, Neptune scooted closer, right up next to her like she could read her mind.

“Heya Noire, why’re you lookin’ so stressed out of a sudden buddy? You’re all tense and red and stressy.”

“W-What? Am I really? Sorry, I was just thinking about something I have to do soon, very soon, is all...”

“Alright, if you say so Noire, but those pursed lips are telling a different story,” she tried as she leaned closer, breaking her down with a skeptical stare. “C’mon Noire, you can spill the beans with me! What’s the worst that could happen?”

Noire scuttled away and stuttered, “Oh, quit, quit gawking like that and just try some pudding already before it gets too warm. I’m fine.”

“Alright, I’ll letcha off the hook for now, but you have to tell me later! Pudding promise!” Neptune thrusted her spoon up toward her with a great smile and happily devoured a bite.

A few moments of enthusiastic munching passed by, Noire training a hard stare on Neptune, waiting for the substance to take effect. Purple eyes pleasantly stared back, lips bouncing in a chewing dance.

Her chewing slowed. Her brows bent in confusion.

Neptune suddenly froze up with the spoon still hanging from her mouth. The cup slipped out of her grip and fell to the floor, spilling in a streak while Neptune started coughing and trying to hack up the poison she had just swallowed.

“Noire, what is this… blegh, it tastes like eggplants! Why Noire? What did I do to deserve this... I, thought we were friends...”

Noire didn’t respond. She tried her best to collect herself until Neptune stopped her theatrics.

“Noire... I’m, sorry...” Neptune choked out, dramatically thrusting her fist toward the ceiling and letting it fall limp and dejected across her chest as she fell back on the couch.

Noire exhaled, not finding satisfaction in the miserable expression on Neptune’s face.

 _’I’ll admit, this probably wasn’t the best way to do it... maybe eggplants was a little far. But now Neptune’s one hundred percent kissable with zero percent risk of her doing something to make me lose my cool!’_ Noire gleefully thought as she moved over to assist her fellow CPU, crawling over Neptune while being absolutely certain not to touch her. With every step of her plan carried out, a new, deeper fear buried inside Noire. She took a trembling breath to calm herself.

_‘Right, step three... Now that there’s no way for her to react, or to glomp all over you, all you have to do is kiss her Noire. No big deal. Just touch your lips to hers. A kiss. Easy.’_

“S-Sorry, Neptune... I have the best of intentions, really, but this isn’t exactly what I expected. Uh, Neptune? Are you even listening?”

Noire grabbed her and shook her by her shoulders, watching her limply bob around with increasing worry.

No. She was just playing dead. Noire knew better than that. This was just another one of Neptune’s stupid stunts.

“You could at least _pretend_ like you're listening to me you know. Neptune!”

Noire drew closer to her face to examine her more closely, silently panicking over how close their lips were. She felt a mild surge of heat in her cheeks but ignored it while she watched Neptune’s in silence.

Total, uninterrupted, silence. Everything seemed still. Noire couldn’t even hear Neptune’s breaths. In fact, she couldn’t really see her breathing either, noticing how still her chest had become. Still, eyes softly shut and unblinking. Not breathing.

“B-But why?!” Noire frantically wondered aloud while she scrambled for an explanation, finally finding her stare drawn to the dropped pudding cup.

That one moment felt like forever.

She reacted fearfully and furiously by grabbing Neptune’s shoulders with the determination to shake her back to life.

The eggplant! That was all Noire was thinking, was her repeated snarling of the stupid eggplant! That was what had left Neptune conked out like this? Neptune _couldn’t actually_ be allergic to them!... Right?

_’Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!’_

Noire wasn’t sure if she was scolding Neptune or herself. Even as she shook her apparently unconscious body, she still doubted that Neptune had a serious health issue involving eggplants. It was just too specific and senseless. But still Neptune refused to give up the act, assuming it was one. ‘The show must go on!’ or some variation of it was one of her many catchphrases, after all.

“Well fine Neptune! I-I know you can hear me! If you want a climax to this stupid fiasco, then here!”

And Noire hesitated for another eternal moment. She’d been waiting so long for this next moment, but it seemed to take hours just to lean closer to Neptune. Now or never.

Noire defiantly dove toward Neptune’s lips, and in desperation allowed her kiss to linger a moment longer. Her cheeks burned like they were melting, her heart trembling and pounding in her chest. She was nervous. Anxious. Waiting for a response while she gently forced her lips onto Neptune’s.

Neptune stirred. Gathering breath.

Relief flooded Noire’s body like a cool, breezy wind upon feeling Neptune’s moving under her. Suddenly though Neptune grabbed Noire’s hands and in the next moment another panic seized her, feeling their fingers entwining and lips still touching.

It had only been a matter of seconds but Noire swore that she was aging by years. In her sudden fluster she attempted to break away but Neptune leaned forward and kissed her back, drawing her closer. She fought between the relief of Neptune returning to life, and the relief and the fear of her returning the kiss as well, overjoyed to know Neptune liked her but scared to continue her motions.

But in those short seconds her chest pleaded for breath, since she had accidentally released it all when Neptune kissed her back. Noire lifted her head and scooted back, trying her best to force her blush back down.

“N-N-N-NEPTUNE! Do you have any idea how much you scared me?! I, I thought that I killed you, but as usual you were just being childish again. It turns out that reason nor poison can make it through that thick skull of yours!”

“Oh, come on Noire, sometimes a little scare is good for you. Keep you on your toes and all.”

“Well, fine then! How’s THIS for a scare!”

Noire pounced on Neptune and pushed her back onto the couch, swiping up the eggplant pudding and forcing another spoonful into her mouth.

“Wait, now just a minute Noire, we can talk this ou- mmph! Nowar! Stahmp!”

“You want to scare me so bad, well here’s a taste of your own medicine!”

After only two spoonfuls Neptune gave up resisting to Noire and only sobbed her name. The spoon hung limply from her lips. Noire plucked it out and leaned down to look at her.

She stared at Neptune for a moment with soft eyes, a forgiving stare and faint smile, and pecked her quick on her lips. Neptune’s eyes blinked open and she squeaked something in surprise, and they were left staring silently at each other.

Noire was regarding her with a lost sort of look, her brows pointed and eyes heavy.

“Noire, you’re not angry with me, are you?”

“Yes, I am in fact.” I have been waiting so long to get that first kiss from you, and what do you do? Fake your own death just to steal it from me. So, I’m just going to make up for it right now, whether you like it or not.”

Noire started smooching away again, causing Neptune’s heart to flutter so fast she thought she might actually pass out this time. She hadn’t expected Noire to actually like her back! Not yet, at least. She was a hard-headed tsundere that was supposed to take months of rejected dates and witty one-liners to coerce!

But she was definitely proving her fondness of her right now. Hands held her cheeks as Noire nudged her nose up against hers, lips curling and kissing and caressing until their bodies cried for a breath.

Noire backed away to catch one while Neptune sucked in a huge gasp, throwing her hands over her face and refusing to move them.

“Neptune? What’s gotten into you?”

“What’s gotten into you Noire, being all kissy and lovey-dovey and romantic and all? If I had known you were going to keep smooching on me like that I would have kissed you a long time ago!”

“And if I had known you actually liked me back, I would have done the same.”

“You don’t say?”

“Mhm.”

They silently watched each other. Watching the red in each other’s cheeks fading out but never disappearing entirely. Starting to feel a smile rising up on their lips when Neptune sat up closer, pulling herself back toward Noire.

“Sooo, that pudding was just a joke right? To bust open my resilient main character defenses?”

“Yes, I promise that was the only reason I did it. I just wanted the first kiss was all, since I would have up and died from embarrassment if you had done it.”

“Well well well, look at you breaking the meta Noire! I’m totally relieved that you’re so into me so you didn’t die, then. Besides, I like you too much to let you go out like that anyway Noire!”

“And I like you Neptune, no matter how much I’d rather not admit that. I told myself I would never ever fall for you, but it seems I couldn’t resist after all.”

“Aww, Noire! But hey, why didn’t you want to like me?”

“Other than you being the most insane person in Gamindustri?”

“Now c’mon Noire, think about what we have in common. We’re both CPUs, we both have CPU sisters, and we’re both adorable, right? Oh! And we ate pudding together that one time, that was fun! See, we’re perfect for each other, a match made in heaven!”

“Or the Gamindustri Graveyard. And yes, while all of those things are true, that doesn’t stop you from existing as a hazard to my health.”

“Speak for yourself,” Neptune pouted, sticking her tongue at Noire.

“Okay, I guess I do deserve that one...”

Neptune giggled, and Noire smiled with her. They stared at each other, soft, and silent, sweetly. Noire offered her hand.

_‘Step four.’_

Neptune swatted her hand away.

_’...Wha...?’_

In that one, singular moment, it felt like every part of Noire’s being shattered. Her heart jumped, eyes wide, not because Neptune pushed away her hand but because Neptune was lunging at her. Neptune’s arms flew around her, squeezing her in a big bear hug as she fell back on the couch.

“Why hold hands when we can go straight to hugs?”

Noire couldn’t respond. Neptune was so close to her, touching her. Was this close? This was way too close. Her arms were around her, their legs tangled behind them, striped socks and ribboned stockings crossing between the other’s. Their eyes and lips only inches away. 

“Hmm? Nooiirree, come on!”

Noire only squeaked out some feeble noise.

Neptune rolled her eyes and pouted. “Fine. Guess I have to pull an ‘ol Noire kinda move, huh?”

And with that, Noire watched Neptune pucker up, watched her, her lips coming closer until she felt the thin lips touching down on her own. And once they parted Neptune warmly smiled but found Noire retreating behind her hands.

“Now, c’mon and tell me Noire. You wanna cuddle or not?”

“No! Not... I mean, yes. I-I do. Please?”

“Now that I can do! C’mere, you!”

Neptune buried Noire in another hug. The Lastation CPU gingerly held her close, warily watching her pink hair rise and fall with their breaths. Breathing. Trying to calm herself. Trying to stop blushing already!

_‘Oh, I can’t believe this is finally happening... What stage of the plan am I even on now? Then again, I suppose the plan went out the window some time ago, didn’t it? In any case, mission successful Noire. Now I just have to wait until Neptune lets me go. Though, she is kind of warm... maybe lying here isn’t such a bad idea after all...’_

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, NepuNowa done! Next up is Unigear! Unfortunately I don’t think it’ll be as long as this one but I’ll see what I can come up with.
> 
> This fic didn't quite end up how I wanted it to, but I really can't trouble myself with rewriting it now so I decided to upload it anyhow. I reused the same setups and conventions, there were some rocky transitions, and I haven't read very much Neptune and Noire dialogue at all for a few months so I'm probably stale on that too. Bleh. So as far as tsunderes go, Noire has been a tough one to crack. I’m trying to learn how far I should go with her bursts of shyness and adoration with Neptune. If you have any thoughts or criticisms on how I wrote them here (especially their dialogue), please share so I do better next time :)
> 
> After the coming UniGear fic, I plan to alternate Neptune/Noire and UniGear at least one more time, so stay tuned! Thank you for reading, and have a great day!


End file.
